


All That Remains

by The13thBlackCat



Series: Songbird [3]
Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-05
Updated: 2014-08-05
Packaged: 2018-02-11 20:09:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2081508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The13thBlackCat/pseuds/The13thBlackCat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fenris knows how terrible it is to be alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All That Remains

   Fenris swallowed, staring for a moment at the door to the Hawke estate. He wasn't entirely certain what to do.

   The Hawke siblings had always been so capable. They were the backbone of the ragtag group they'd assembled, the reason that group had survived and stayed together. They were both a rare sort of person, the kind who seemed like they could weather anything unharmed.

   But Fenris knew how terrible it was to be alone.

   For a long moment, he just stood there, conflicted, until he finally raised a hand to knock, just once.

   It must have been quiet in the house, since Orana answered after a few seconds. The other elf looked like she had been crying: her eyes were red, and a few strands of her hair loose around her face. She just looked at him for a second, then stepped aside without a word. There was no reason to ask why he was there.

   "He's upstairs," she said when he stepped past her, her voice very quiet. Fenris swallowed again and nodded, trying not to dwell on the meaning of that.

   Sparrow rarely confined himself to his room. He didn't like being alone.

   For a second, he considered going to see Selene on the way, even though he knew Anders must surely be with her. In the end, though, he decided against it. She would, after all, have Anders, and Sparrow didn't have the sort of comfort she could find in the mage.

   Fenris made his way to Sparrow's bedroom as quietly as he could, somehow wary of breaking the unnatural quiet of the house. The Hawke estate was too big for the people living there, but it was never this quiet. The air felt oppressive and heavy.

   He knocked on Sparrow's door lightly before opening it enough to look in. The human didn't look up. He was at his window, leaning on the frame and staring out at the city. Wherever Maric was, he wasn't with his master, and that bothered Fenris more than the fact that Sparrow hadn't acknowledged him.

_He knew how terrible it was to be alone._

   "Hawke." His voice was quiet when he announced himself, but it didn't matter: there was no way Sparrow couldn't have heard. He still didn't look up, though, just shifting his weight a little.

   His chest tight, Fenris stepped into the room, slowly making his way towards his friend and trying to think of what to say. What did one say, in this circumstance? "I...know nothing I can say will help, Hawke, but..." He trailed off, frowning and flicking his ears. _No. He needed..._

   "It's my fault she's dead," Sparrow said finally. His voice was quiet, flat, wrong. He let out a harsh little breath, then continued, his voice cracking at the end, "Isn't it?"

   Fenris swallowed, clenching his hands and trying not to fidget. "I..." He paused, trying to think of what he should say. Finally, his voice as gentle as he could manage, he continued, "I could tell you it wasn't, but would that change anything?"

   Sparrow didn't answer, and doubt gnawed at Fenris' insides. _You're not helping._ For a second, he felt the horrible urge to leave before he made things worse, but he ignored it: Sparrow deserved better from him than that.

   "I could have..." He swallowed, and Fenris realized he was shaking. It was so slight he hadn't noticed until now. "I should have been faster. If we'd just gotten there sooner..." He trailed off with another harsh breath, and this time Fenris heard the slight hitch in it, and he understood.

   Sparrow had spent so long being so strong, for his family and friends, with only the slightest sign of wear, but now, the cracks were starting to show. Even he, beautiful and impossible as he was, could only take so much.

   Fenris said nothing, simply crossing the room to Sparrow and reaching up to take hold of his shoulder. He jumped a little in surprise, looking up, and Fenris felt his throat tighten at the horribly sad, broken look on his face. He pulled Sparrow to him, holding him as tightly as he'd always wanted to.

   "You didn't kill her, Sparrow," he whispered, his voice soft.

   Fenris almost felt it when he broke, a terrible little lurch in his arms before Sparrow pulled the elf close and gasped against him, tight and harsh and choked with tears he hadn't shed. Fenris swallowed, closing his eyes and sliding a hand up to the back of Sparrow's head.

   "It's okay," he said softly.

   He led Sparrow over to his bed when he felt the first hot tears against his skin, sitting him down and pulling him close. He didn't say anything while Sparrow sobbed against him, just holding him and fighting the burn behind his own eyes. Sometimes, there was simply nothing to be said.

   When Sparrow had finally quieted, Fenris realized it was only because he'd exhausted himself. He gently extracted himself from the human, doing his best not to disturb him as he laid him down and brushed a few strands of dark hair out of his face. He didn't look peaceful, not at all, but he looked...better. Feeling raw and empty inside, Fenris hoped it would get easier.

   For a moment, he hesitated, unsure if he should leave. He knew Sparrow--knew him well enough to know he would be focused on doing everything he could for everyone else, instead of worrying about himself. He might need someone who would.

   In the end, though, he stood, looking down at Sparrow in silence for a second. Sparrow wasn't used to relying on other people, and as far as Fenris knew, he would rather deal with this--with _everything_ \--alone. Fenris didn't like that, but he did understand it.

   He bent, pressing a soft kiss to Sparrow's lips. "I'll always be here if you need me, Hawke," he murmured softly, brushing his thumb over Sparrow's cheek before he stepped back reluctantly and turned to leave.


End file.
